Stand In The Rain
by cgal120
Summary: "So stand in the rain, Stand your ground, Stand up when it's all crashing down, Stand through the pain, You won't drown And one day, whats lost can be found" - Alfred never knew just how much he hurt Arthur, but he's about to find out. USUK


_**Stand In The Rain**_

_Alfred ran along the pitch, chasing after the football (or soccer ball as he liked to call them). He was going as fast as his small legs could carry him on the damp grass, but he still knew he was going to lose. Alfred didn't mind though, he just enjoyed playing. He never slowed down, not until he was tackled from nowhere, sprawling against the grass._

"_Hey!" he whined, looking up and pouting._

_Arthur smiled at him. He enjoyed playing football with the boy, but he often got over competitive._

"_Come on, Alfred," he sighed, holding out his hand._

_Alfred gladly took it, happy to get out of the wet._

However, those days, the green of the grass were replaced with darkness, mud, and blood. If Alfred were to be tackled now, he was almost certain he would never get up. He stood in the rain, staring across the muddy battle field at Arthur. He was adamant on his freedom, so stood his ground. Arthur was alone now, his men defeated, yet he still fought on. Alfred had commanded his men to leave Arthur for him; this fight was between them after all.

"Arthur," he called, staring along the point of his bayonet. "I want my freedom! I've grown up! I'm no longer your little brother! Consider me INDEPENDENT!"

"I won't allow it!" Arthur yelled back, his own gun pointed and ready. "You idiot, can't you see anything to the end?"

With that he ran forwards and struck the gun in Alfred's hand away. Alfred, shaking, stared at the pointed end of the bayonet, the pain in Arthur's eyes, and waited. To his surprise, Arthur lowered his weapon.

"Do you honestly think I would shoot you?" he questioned, his voice breaking.

Alfred couldn't speak. He watched as Arthur fell, kneeling in the mud. He shook even more at the sight of the older nation. He had never seen Arthur cry before, and he never did again. Before him was not the great nation he had looked up to once. No, this was nothing more than a broken soul. Alfred knew he had caused this, but turned his back anyway.

"You used to be so… big…"

This only made Arthur sobbed harder. Alfred couldn't bear the sound; it made his own eyes sting and he refused to cry, fearing that the tears wouldn't stop falling. He decided to leave the battlefield. Leave Arthur…

TTT

Sighing, Arthur shook his head. He found it so difficult to concentrate on the meetings these days. They all seemed to go in the same boring pattern, and to top it all off it was raining outside. Arthur hated the rain; it always reminded him off…

No. No, he wasn't going to think about it. He nonchalantly dabbed the little tears that had formed in his eyes away, and continued to 'listen' to the meeting. Alfred was still trying to put across his idea of a new giant superhero trying to move the earth away from the sun. Arthur felt this was utterly ridiculous, but he couldn't bring himself to make a sound for some reason.

"Arthur, what do you think?" Alfred asked.

Arthur blinked, shaking his head. He didn't want to, and wouldn't, answer. He looked down at the table, keeping his eyes on his slightly shaking hands.

"Ohoho!" laughed Francis. "'As Arthur got nothing to say on zis?"

"Shocker!" laughed another person Arthur tried to ignore.

At that moment, he had never felt more alone in a fight. He wanted to stand up and leave, but the fears whispering in his head we saying if he stood he'd fall down. So he sat there in silence.

After the meeting had finished, Arthur took his time in sorting his stuff. He wanted to give everyone a large enough gap before heading back to his hotel. The meeting had to be held in America, hadn't it? He didn't notice that it was only he and Alfred left in the room. Alfred was ready to leave, but he had stayed behind. Why? Arthur went to leave the room, not wanting to speak to him. Alfred, however, stopped him.

"Arthur, what's wrong?"

Arthur tried to get past, to ignore him, but Alfred wouldn't let him go that easily.

"Arthur, I mean it," he said determinedly. "You always fight back, you never let Francis or anyone do that!"

"I…"

"This isn't like you! Not one bit! You fight back! You stand your ground!"

"Why do you even care, Alfred?" Arthur snapped.

"Because…"

"Because what? Because I didn't say anything about your idea, or because I was ignoring everyone. Maybe I just didn't want to talk!"

"Arthur, you…"

"SHUT UP, YOU GIT!"

"Arthur! You always have something to say!"

"THEN MAYBE I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO BE HERE AT ALL!"

Alfred stared at Arthur. Arthur just stood there, glaring.

"What are you talking about?"

"I am sick of this. Of all these meetings, those idiots, and you. Your ideas that will never work, you stupid hero complex, your insufferable need to get involved. JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Arthur pushed past Alfred who was stunned. Arthur rushed out into the rain, not heading for the hotel, but not knowing at all where he was going. Tears fell down his face thick and fast, and he thanked the rain for hiding them from anyone who spotted him. He ran and ran, not caring where he ended; but secretly in the back of his mind wanting to be found…

TTT

Alfred was shocked. He had stood absolutely still, trying to get past what had just happened. Had Arthur really meant all of that? Alfred felt hurt, but wouldn't hold it against Arthur as he knew he had caused twice as much pain.

He needed to speak to him, to figure out what had just happened. He didn't want Arthur to be upset, he hated seeing him so broken.

Quickly, he ran downstairs and out of the building. He looked around and realised that he had no idea where the British man was staying. Thankfully he spotted his brother, Matthew, so went to ask him.

"Mattie! D'you know what Arthur's staying?" he asked.

"Uh, the hotel to blocks down," Matthew said. "But I saw him going that way." He pointed in the opposite direction. Alfred stared for a moment.

"Why was he going that way?"

"I dunno," Matt said. "He was running, and looked pretty upset. I think he was crying… You didn't do anything did you?"

"I dunno, Mattie," Alfred sighed. "Thanks."

He ran off in the direction Matthew had pointed out, getting wetter and wetter with each minute of searching.

"He's been out longer than me," he thought out loud. "He's probably soaked through…"

He continued to run for 15 minutes. Finally, needed to stop to rest the ache in his side, Alfred bent double trying to get breath back into his body. He looked up and spotted where he was. He was on a small hillside looking over the ocean. Out in the distance, the damp green figure of Lady Liberty stood out. Alfred sighed, smiling at it a little. The smile disappeared though when he looked at the bench a little way away. A figure was sat on it, it's coat on the bench next to him, looking as though they had just gone for a swim. Their face was looking at the Statue of Liberty, and no matter how wet it was, Alfred would always recognise Arthur's messy blonde hair. He was crying; Alfred knew this from how Arthur's body shook every so often. Slowly, he walked towards him, going around the edge of the bench. Arthur was startled for a moment, jumping to his feet in shock.

"What are you doing here?" he snapped, his voice breaking.

"To see if you were okay," Alfred said lamely.

"DO I LOOK BLOODY OKAY?"

"No, that's why I'm here."

Alfred took some step towards the soaking wet Brit. Arthur backed away a little.

"I know I'm stupid sometimes, and I can't read the atmosphere for soda, but this time I can tell something is really not right."

Arthur stopped and stared. The slight breeze made him shiver against his cold clothes.

"I really hate the rain," he muttered.

"What? Why?"

"Because… Because of _that_ day…"

"Oh."

"Oh? I felt like I was going to drown from the pain and hurt you caused, and all you can say is 'oh'?"

Alfred's blue eyes widened, connecting with the green of Arthur's. He was lost for words, not know what to say. He knew he had hurt Arthur that day, but never _that_ bad! Without thinking, he closed the gap between them and pulled the smaller nation into his arms. Arthur tried to fight his way out, but couldn't. He tried to deny it, but the warmth was just what he needed.

"I'm so sorry," Alfred muttered into his hair.

"Huh?"

"I'm so so sorry… I never meant to…"

Arthur blinked and hugged Alfred back, knowing what he was trying to do.

"I know… It just… It was just consuming and overwhelming."

Arthur looked up at Alfred and smiled for the first time in ages. Alfred smiled back, and, before Arthur could react, put his lips to his. Arthur's eyes widened for a moment, but they slowly closed as he kissed Alfred back. They pulled away after a moment, in need of air.

"This is part of why I wanted my independence," Alfred whispered.

_**Me: D'awww! Arthur, you are a moody bugger!**_

_**Arthur: Hey! You would be too! -pouts-**_

_**Alfred: I hate it when he cries! Clare, you are so mean! -hugs Arthur-**_

_**Me: Yes, yes I am. Sorry, but it comes natural to me!**_

_**Arthur: -blushing- Please review this and say where Clare can improve!**_

_**Me: -smirks- Please! Oh! And sorry if it sucks! It was a song fic based on the Superchic[k] song "Stand In The Rain" if no one got that earlier...**_


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